


Changes

by Carisa_Ironfell



Category: RWBY
Genre: Family Fluff, Finally updated Nov 14, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Normal! AU, Slow To Update, Sorry it took so long, i think this counts as a slow burn?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2020-03-30 01:17:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19031779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carisa_Ironfell/pseuds/Carisa_Ironfell
Summary: The ups and downs of life for two single fathers and their meddling children.Chapter 1 - Oscar convinces his father to move on and begin healing from his hurts.





	1. Ozpin is Convinced to Move On

**Author's Note:**

> First attempt at a multi-chapter story, so please be kind. It's made up of really short one-shots so far, but hopefully I'll write something a little longer for it. :)  
> I don't know how often this will be updated, since I've never done anything like it before, but I'll do my best to keep it going.  
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

“Dad, really... I'm sorry to be the one that has to say it, but you need to move on. I know you loved her, but she's not here anymore, and it's not healthy for you to keep moping around like this. Find someone new to fall in love with,” Oscar advised, feeling guilty for being so harsh. His father sniffled and wiped his eyes dry with his sleeve.

“Oscar...” the silver-haired man began, then sighed and hung his head, staring at the floor. “I suppose that you're right, but I wouldn't even know where to start,” he admitted, wringing his hands uncomfortably. Oscar let out a breath of silent relief; he hadn't expected his dad to agree so readily, though he had hoped.

“Well, for starters... Maybe you should change things up a little, so you don't get any unwanted reminders? Dark hair would be a good start, I think. I guess it mostly depends on who you would find interesting,” he suggested, flushing brightly when he realized that he was giving his dad dating advice. He was way more involved in the whole situation than he would have preferred, but he had to help somehow, and this was the most logical thing that had popped into his head.

 

After the nasty divorce with his wife – and Oscar's mother – Salem, Ozma had fallen into a deep sadness. He'd thrown himself into his work more than ever before, and he hardly spent more than a few minutes here and there with his teenage son. Oscar was worried what might happen to his father if he didn't get involved.

 

“Oscar, I haven't done this in years. I don't even know what my type is anymore,” Ozma sighed, his gaze still fixed to the floor. Oscar chuckled and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

“I can see why that might be a bit of a problem... I'm not sure I can help you with that, though, so I guess you'll just have to figure it out as you go along,” the boy said, wishing he could have been more helpful. Ozma let out a sort of almost-laugh and reached up to put a hand on his son's shoulder.

“Thank you for not giving up on me, Oscar,” he replied, a soft, fragile smile gracing his face for the first time in weeks. Oscar beamed back, joy sparkling in his green eyes.

“Of course, Dad. I would never give up on you,” he chimed, pulling the man into a tight hug. Ozma relaxed into the embrace after a moment, rubbing Oscar's back comfortingly.

“Now, how about some dinner? I'm sure you must be hungry,” he suggested, gently pulling away from Oscar and standing up from his chair. Oscar nodded enthusiastically and followed him into the kitchen.

'Things are changing. It's a good start,' Oscar thought to himself, smiling happily.


	2. Qrow Faces Exasperation on the Familial Front

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qrow does dad things, and REALLY needs to settle down. Addy expresses how tired she is of his nonsense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo short. Sorry about that.... Hope you like it anyway! :)

As soon as the door closed behind the strange woman who had stayed the night in her house, Adelia whipped around to face her dad, her face home to an exasperated glare.

“Okay, Dad, I'm saying this once again - PLEASE STOP BRINGING YOUR ONE-NIGHT-STANDS HOME!!!” the girl lectured, then topped it off by smacking the heel of her palm into his forehead. Her dad winced dramatically, then shrugged apologetically and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“Sorry, kiddo; I keep forgetting,” the dark-haired man said, then ruffled her hair, a fond smile on his face. “I love you more than anything, Addy,” he murmured, feeling the need to remind her - as if he didn't already do that 50 times a day... Addy rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around him in a hug, a small smile flickering across her face.

“I love you too, Dad,” she replied, sighing internally. Her dad was such an unbelievable sap sometimes...

“C'mon, kiddo. We're going out for dinner!” Qrow exclaimed suddenly, stepping back from Addy. She blinked at him, then smiled. Add 'random' to the list of words that described him.

“Sure, Dad. But you had better not try to pick up any dates,” she said sternly, half-joking, and glared at him playfully.

“Oh, come on!” Qrow protested as his daughter went upstairs to grab her purse. She didn't catch the teasing grin he sported, and so he was rewarded by an audible groan from the upper level of the house. So worth it...


	3. Oscar and Addy Work Out a Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oscar and Addy share their parental woes with one another, and Oscar asks a favor of his friend. Addy readily agrees.

“Hey, Oscar!” Addy greeted cheerfully, plopping down next to her friend at their table. Oscar looked up from the book he'd been reading and smiled.

“Hey, Addy,” he replied, marking his place before closing the cover. Addy beamed at him and munched hungrily on a stick of celery.

“Uh, question. Your dad is really flirty, or whatever, right?” Oscar wondered, trying – and failing – to act casual about it. Addy blinked at him curiously, a sliver of chicken strip sticking out of her mouth.

“Yeah, unfortunately. Why?” she responded once she's finished chewing. Oscar flushed, but forced the words from his mouth, knowing this was too important to not do just because he was embarrassed.

“Well, I finally convinced my dad to try moving on, but I thought it might be a good idea to have someone more experienced, uh... show him the ropes? Meeting people and stuff like that – you know,” he explained, taking a careful sip of water in hopes of quelling the fierce heat in his cheeks. His friend's red eyes lit up with excitement and she nodded vigorously.

“That's a great idea, Oscar! I'll have to ask him about it, but I'm pretty sure he'll be totally fine with it. He loves being around people; weirdo...” she shook her head to get herself back to the topic at hand. “I'll let you know what he says,” she promised, grinning. Oscar smiled faintly, still feeling unbearably hot.

“Thanks, Addy. It means a lot to me,” he said, then went back to eating his own food before the bell rang.

“No problem! Who knows – it might even end up being a good thing for both of them. If your dad can learn to lighten up a little, maybe he'll rub off on my dad and he'll stop bringing people home for the night,” she chimed and crunched on a carrot stick. Oscar smiled at his friend's oddball tendencies, and sincerely hoped that she was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify, if anyone is wondering, Addy is a year older than Oscar. She's a year above him in school, but they hang out anyway, usually at lunch. :)


	4. Addy and Qrow Have a Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Addy tells her dad about her friend's plight, and he decides to have a little fun with it. Addy does not approve, but Qrow is Qrow about it.

“Your friend wants me to... what – chaperone his father's dating attempts?” Qrow wondered blankly, staring at his daughter in plain confusion. Addy sighed and shook her head.

“No. More like, be his wing-man. Maybe steer him clear of the more questionable choices,” she corrected. Qrow thought for a while, then shrugged.

“Sure, I'm game,” he decided with a smirk. If nothing else, this should at least be interesting.

“Don't be mean to him, Daddy. He's one of Yang and Ruby's teachers,” Addy chided, shooting him a disapproving glare even though she knew he wouldn't care in the slightest. Qrow flashed her a bright grin in return and rested a hand on the top of her head.

“Don't worry, sweetheart. I promise I'll play nice,” he assured her, crossing his fingers behind his back.

“I don't believe you...” she replied flatly, then dug her phone out of her purse to text Oscar the development.


	5. Oscar and Ozpin Discuss the Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oscar tells Ozpin about the plan he made with Addy. Ozpin decides to do this for himself, and not just for Oscar.   
> (Yay, character growth!)

“So, Dad. I think I found you someone who can... reacquaint you with dating,” Oscar said over dinner after he got home from school. Ozma paused eating, watching his son with curiosity.

“Oh?” he wondered, one brow quirking. This should be interesting to hear...

“Yeah. A friend of mine from school, her dad is... uh, well, REALLY good at flirting, and stuff like that, so I figured he could take you some places an show you how it's done,” Oscar explained somewhat sheepishly. Heat rose to Ozma's cheeks, but he smiled nonetheless.

“I see. Thank you, Oscar, and your friend as well,” he replied. Oscar grinned, and for the first time since he'd lost Salem, Ozma was sure everything would be just fine as long, as he had this precious gift of a son in his life.

“No trouble at all. I just want to see you happy,” Oscar responded, reaching across the table to squeeze his father's hand. Ozma smiled, a part of him wondering in the back of his mind how he'd ever allowed himself to lose sight of what a wonderful person he already had in his life.

And that decided it. He knew a small part of him would always love Salem, but she'd been the one to leave, and it was time for him to move on now. He wasn't her possession, after all. He would be his own person, and no one could stop him! Now all he had to do was master dating again. As if it hadn't been hard enough the first time...


	6. Ozma's First Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night has finally come! Ozma has been shipped off to a bar to re-learn how flirting works. There, he meets his teacher - Qrow! Who is... not what Ozma was expecting, not at all. And who also seems to love torturing him... We'll be lucky if he survives the night!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was... a really dramatic summary. *raises eyebrow* My bad...  
> Anyway, this is a two-parter! This one is from Oz's point of view - the other will be from Qrow's. And you almost didn't get it because I was having internet trouble... I'm glad that sorted itself out.  
> I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Ozma fidgeted nervously with the cuff of his sleeve while he sat in his car. He was parked outside the bar Oscar had instructed him to go to, debating with himself on whether or not he should really go in. The place looked rather disreputable, but it was definitely where he was supposed to be; he'd even texted Oscar to make sure. Taking a deep breath, he checked his reflection in the visor mirror, panicked briefly, then opened the door and stepped out before he could be tempted to just drive away.

Pulling the door open, Ozma entered the noisy establishment and quickly side-stepped a hurrying waitress. Pressing his back to a wall, he began scanning the crowd before him for any sign of the man he was supposed to meet. He saw no one matching the picture he'd been given, and before he could think logically, panic started to set in once more.

Suddenly, an arm was thrown around his shoulder from the side, startling him awfully and throwing off his balance. Warm breath puffed against his neck as his captor spoke to him.

“Relax, Professor. I won't let anything bad happen to you,” a low voice rumbled in his ear. Tingles shot up Ozma's spine, and he slowly turned to face the speaker.

Black hair streaked slightly with silver, and brilliant red eyes the color of smoldering coals. This must be- “Qrow Branwen, I presume,” Ozma said, folding his hands behind his back in a professional gesture; definitely not to disguise the fact that he was shaking, thank you very much!

“That's right,” the man replied lazily, offering him a crooked grin. Ozma smiled back, still somewhat tense, and followed him to a secluded table to sit down.

“Okay, we need to establish some simple rules. Rule one; be relaxed, or it's gonna be really hard to talk to people the way you want to. Loosen up a little – don't hold yourself so stiffly, and maybe talk with a little less formality,” Qrow said, jumping straight into the lesson before Ozma could ask any questions. The last bit he said rather pointedly, raising an eyebrow at the man sitting across from him. He crossed his legs under the table, intentionally hitting Ozma's knee.

“Mister Branwen-” Ozma began, attempting to defend himself, while also jumping at the unexpected contact. One of Qrow's hands snapped into the air, silencing his protests.

“You just proved my point for me. It's all well and fine to be polite, and it may even be a pretty big part of your job, but this isn't the situation for it. If you're gonna talk to people with the interest of getting to know them outside of a professional setting, you have got to be more casual,” the black-haired man instructed, his tone both relaxed and stern at the same time. Ozma opened his mouth to say something, anything, but he was once again silenced by a look from Qrow. He let out a defeated sigh, his shoulders slumping, and waited.

“Now, just start by calling me Qrow. Or a nickname of your choosing, if that's more your preference,” Qrow continued, flashing Ozma a smile as bright as the sun, as though to apologize for interrupting him the way he had. Ozma found himself smiling back, as though smiles were contagious now. He didn't mind it. For all that this man was loud and... odd, to say the least, he was also kind and considerate. At least, so far as Ozma had experienced.

“Alright. Qrow, then,” Ozma replied, testing out the name by itself. It felt strange to call someone outside of his inner circle of friends and family by their first name, but he supposed that was a part of being involved with new people. There was an opportunity for said people to become important parts of his life.

“That's a good start. I like the sound of you saying my name, by the way,” Qrow said with a smirk and a suggestive quirk of his eyebrow. The remark effectively broke Ozma's train of thought, as well as fried his brain. He stammered for a moment, watching helplessly while Qrow laughed at him, then gave up and slumped over the table.

“I'm starting to think, maybe this wasn't the best idea,” Ozma mumbled, mostly to himself. At once, Qrow's laughter ceased, and Ozma felt a hand on his shoulder.

“C'mon, Oz, don't be like that. I'm just teasing you. Your reactions just make it too funny not to,” he admitted, somewhat sheepishly. Ozma looked up, watching the other man's face for a moment, then straightened fully and took a deep breath. Running his hands down his face, his eyes closed, he didn't notice when Qrow soundlessly crept from his seat and disappeared into the crowd. One moment, Qrow was there, the next, he was gone.

“Oh, good heavens... That man is impossible,” Ozma griped, rolling his eyes. Thankfully, he wasn't terribly surprised when Qrow returned with two drinks, re-seating himself in a fluid motion.

“Sorry 'bout that; I was getting thirsty,” Qrow explained, taking a sizable sip from his glass while sliding the other one before Ozma. Ozma stared at it for a moment, then took a tentative sip. It tasted vile, as he had expected it to, but it surprised him nonetheless, sending him into a fit of coughing. Had it really been that long since he'd drunk alcohol?

Ignoring Qrow's snickering, Ozma took little sips here and there, moving at his own pace; rather than Qrow's, as the man had already finished three drinks by the time Ozma was halfway through his own. Luckily for everyone involved, Qrow seemed to have an exceptional tolerance for alcohol, or else Ozma would have been worried for him.

“Oh, posture, too,” Qrow said abruptly, once more pulling Ozma from his thoughts. Ozma blinked back in confusion. How long had it even been, with the pair just sitting in silence?

“Pardon me?” he wondered, frowning. Qrow sighed and ran a hand through his hair, swiping his bangs out of his eyes for a moment before they fell back.

“Wait... I already touched on that, didn't I? Oh well, let's do it again,” Qrow mumbled to himself, his gaze somewhere far beyond Ozma, before focusing in the silver-haired man once more. “You hold yourself up in a very... eh, headmasterly way? I dunno... It's very... authority figure. Ya need to loosen up, like I said. Maybe slouch a little...” he trailed off, staring into space for a while before snapping back to reality, looking dazed.

“Are you alright?” Ozma wondered, starting to be concerned. Qrow split into a grin and nodded.

“Yeah, sure. Don't worry 'bout me, Oz,” he replied, waving a hand at him to dissuade his concerns. Ozma raised a skeptical eyebrow and shook his head, sighing.

“You are certainly an odd-” he cut off when Qrow rolled his eyes, and started again. “You're... weird,” he said instead, taking another sip of his drink. Qrow let out some sort of honk/snort – possibly a laugh? – nearly choking on his own drink, then raised his hand to his chest in mock surprise when he had recovered.

“Me, weird? Whatever could you mean?” he intoned dramatically, his voice almost taking on an accent in its false poshness. Now it was Ozma's turn to roll his eyes, but he did take a moment to consider what Qrow had said about his posture. With some concentration, he was able to slump his shoulders somewhat, though it felt very strange. He also slid down in his chair a little, almost slouching. He hated it, but at the same time, it was almost liberating. It was most likely something he'd have to practice...

 

A few hours later, and three or four conversations with complete strangers, Ozma had decided that he wanted to go home. And that Qrow was far too drunk to return himself to his own lodgings.

“Where do you live, Qrow? I'll drive you home,” Ozma said, having to grab the man's face to keep his eyes focused on him. Qrow mumbled incoherently for a moment, his words slurred together until they were nothing more than a tangle of sounds that made no sense. Ozma sighed and made him drink some water, hoping that would help him sober up a little.

Eventually, Ozma got an address from Qrow, which he could only hope was actually his house. Taking Qrow outside, he loaded the drunken man into his car and started driving. He was thankful now that he hadn't allowed himself to drink nearly so heavily as Qrow had, for it would have complicated things greatly if he'd been drunk too. He might have been left with no other choice than to call Glynda for help...

Pulling up in the parking lot of the apartment building, Ozma turned the car off and helped Qrow out of his seat, half slinging the man over his back. Walking inside, he found the door with the correct number on it (several flights of stairs up...) and knocked on it, since it seemed only reasonable.

The door was answered by a tall young lady who looked remarkably like Qrow, with red eyes and wavy black hair. She stood in the doorway for a moment, a look of surprise on her face, then she sighed and stood to the side, gesturing for Ozma to enter.

“Please, come in, sir,” she said, shaking her head. Ozma did as he was instructed and stepped across the threshold, still carrying Qrow. The girl led him to a couch and waved a hand at it. “You can just drop him there,” she told him, eyeing Qrow with a disapproving gaze.

“You got distracted, didn't you, Dad?” she asked of him, receiving a sleepy chuckle in response.

“Maybe,” Qrow said, raising one hand for a few seconds before it fell limp once more. The girl raised an eyebrow in disbelief, looking rather irate, and Ozma took the opportunity to set him gently on the couch now, his back longing to be free of its strain. When he straightened again, it felt as though a great sack of flour had been lifted from him; which was essentially what Qrow was at the moment, he thought with a little smile.

“Thank you for bringing him home, sir. I know what a handful he is when he's drunk. I'm Adelia, his daughter,” the girl introduced, holding her hand out to shake.

“Ozma Pine,” Ozma replied, reaching out to shake. She smiled brightly, her grip firm but polite, and returned her hand to her side when he let go.

“Pleased to meet you, sir. I don't know if Oscar said, but I'm a friend of his from Signal,” Adelia supplied, making Ozma smile.

“Yes, actually, he had mentioned. He speaks very highly of you. Thank you for being such a good friend to my son, Ms. Branwen – it means a lot to him, and to me,” he said. Adelia blushed a light pink and grinned.

“It's no problem at all, sir. Oscar's great, and he's one of the only people I've ever met that's shyer than I am, so I figured he could use a friend,” she replied. Ozma's smile widened, and he let out a small sigh of relief. He was glad that someone was watching out for Oscar at school.

A groan from the couch distracted them both, and they looked at Qrow, who blinked at them for a moment before promptly rolling off onto the floor with a thud. Ozma jumped in alarm and started to kneel, with intentions of helping the man get up, but Adelia just sighed and intercepted him.

“Don't worry, sir. He's fine; he does this all the time. I'll get him to his room and he can sleep it off,” she said, looping her arms under her father's slender frame and hefting him back onto the couch. Ozma stepped back, a little awkward, and nodded.

“Ah, yes. Please excuse me, but I should really be getting home before it gets any later,” he told her. She smiled at him and nodded in return.

“Of course, sir,” she said, and led him back to the door. “Good night!” she chimed, waving at him. Ozma waved back and turned to walk down the hallway, hearing the door close behind him.

 

What an eventful evening this has been! he reflected as he drove home. Eventful, not at all what he was used to, but all in all, fairly enjoyable. The part Ozma was most certain about, though, was that he was quite ready to sleep, once he'd said goodnight to Oscar; who'd almost certainly stayed up waiting for him to get back. Well, as different as it had been, Ozma rather thought he'd like to do it again if Qrow agreed. A night well spent, indeed...


	7. First Lesson, Qrow Style!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qrow has an adventure, and realizes a few things along the way. He also finds that teasing Oz is way more fun than it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That summary was much less dramatic than the last chapter. Phew. I actually don't know if that's a good thing or not, but oh well!  
> I hope you enjoy Qrow's antics. :)

Qrow tilted his head, looking his reflection up and down in the mirror. Yeah, he looked fine; as if he ever wasn't fine. Black jeans, a dark gray t-shirt, and his beloved combat boots made for rather a nice look, though. Just not too... too much. After all, tonight wasn't about him; he was there as support for someone else.

Going downstairs, he tapped Addy on the shoulder. “Hey, sweetheart, I'm heading out,” he said, pausing his movement long enough to wrap an arm around her shoulders and press a kiss to the top of her head. She stopped writing and looked up from her homework, flashing him a bright smile.

“Okay. Have fun, Dad, and good luck!” she chimed, and Qrow grinned back. She waved as he spun around, his feet already carrying him toward the door.

“Thanks, hun,” he called from the doorway, waving around the corner as he pulled on his favorite leather jacket. Walking out of the apartment building, he strutted down the street toward the bar he frequented most often.

 

Ah, Crowbar. One of his favorite places in the city. Stepping inside, Qrow waved at the bartender and shot a wink at a waitress, then made his way to a table that was fairly out-of-the-way. From what he'd been told, the guy he was meeting was leaning toward the shy side, so the fewer people there were near them, the more comfortable he'd likely be. Now, to wait – the part of meeting up with anyone that Qrow dreaded.

Checking his watch, Qrow saw that he had a minute or two before this 'Ozma' guy was supposed to show up, so he slipped away to the bathroom to make sure he still looked as perfect as usual. First impressions were important, after all. When he was sure he looked fine, he went back out.

His plan had been to go back to the table and wait, but then he saw someone coming through the door that could only be his guy, and he knew he just had to have a little fun with it. Slipping over as carefully as he could, he made it to the guy's side without being noticed. A moment spent taking in silver hair and what could only be described as an odd sense of color/fashion, then Qrow threw an arm around his catch's shoulders and leaned in close.

“Relax, Professor. I won't let anything bad happen to you,” he rumbled, keeping his voice down so that only Ozma could hear him. The way this dork stiffened in shock was reward enough, and Qrow stepped back a little and leaned against the wall so that he had room to turn and take Qrow in. Oh, how this scruffy old bird loved attention.

A look of recognition flickered through beautiful, golden-brown eyes, then Ozma spoke. “Qrow Branwen, I presume,” he said, folding his hands behind his back. Qrow almost laughed at him then and there, because he'd seen the nervous tremble in those fingers and there was no hiding it now, but he refrained; mostly because he'd promised Addy he'd behave.

“That's right,” Qrow drawled, grinning his best grin, and shoved off the wall, gesturing for Ozma to follow him. Sitting in the most majestic way he knew how, Qrow leaned back and waited for Ozma to take a seat as well. This was already fun, and he hadn't even done anything yet.

“Okay, we need to establish some simple rules. Rule one; be relaxed, or it's gonna be really hard to talk to people the way you want. Loosen up a little – don't hold yourself so stiffly, and maybe talk with a little less formality,” Qrow said, jumping straight into the lesson before Ozma could ask any questions. The last bit he said rather pointedly, raising an eyebrow at the man sitting across from him. He also crossed his legs under the table, intentionally hitting Ozma's knee, curious to see what reaction he might elicit. Alas, nothing more than a minor squeak and a slight jump. Though, gods have mercy on his non-existent soul if it hadn't been a cute squeak...

“Mister Branwen-” Ozma began, trying to defend himself, but Qrow raised one hand to silence him, whatever patience he had fraying momentarily. He liked being listened to, and it was pretty disappointing when people didn't do what he said.

“You just proved my point for me. It's all well and fine to be polite, and it may even be a pretty big part of your job, but this isn't the situation for it. If you're gonna talk to people with the interest of getting to know them outside of a professional setting, you have got to be more casual,” the black-haired man instructed, his tone both relaxed and stern at the same time; as only he could accomplish, of course. Ozma opened his mouth to speak, but Qrow narrowed his eyes enough to get the point across – listen now, don't talk; you'll get your turn.

“Now, just start by calling me Qrow. Or a nickname of your choosing, if that's more your preference,” Qrow continued, flashing Ozma a smile to apologize for interrupting him the way he had. Taking a deep breath, he collected his thoughts and re-established his ability to deal with dense students. This really wasn't all that different from classes, actually... Especially classes with Yang.

The smile that Ozma sent back made Qrow's heart skip a beat, and he had to fight the urge to smack himself. That wasn't why he was here! Then again, it wasn't his fault that his poor, pathetic student was as hot as the sun. And cute besides! That only happened so often...

“Alright. Qrow, then,” Ozma replied, seeming to test out the name by itself. Qrow swallowed and fought back the blush that wanted to make its presence known.

“That's a good start. I like the sound of you saying my name, by the way,” Qrow said with a smirk and a suggestive quirk of his eyebrow. That seemed like a good way to distract his new friend; tell him the truth in a ridiculously flirtatious way, and he won't take as such. Qrow was impressed by his own genius, and very thankful that Addy wasn't here. He didn't want to think about what sort of scathing remark she'd have for him to stick a pin in his swelling head.

Ozma, in the meantime, had flushed a lovely shade of red and was currently failing to say anything. After a few moments, he stopped trying and instead slumped over the table to hide his face from Qrow, who started laughing. This was probably a little mean, but that reaction was frickin' adorable, and he couldn't just not laugh at it.

“I'm starting to think, maybe this wasn't the best idea,” Ozma mumbled, probably to himself, but Qrow heard it. Oh. Time to dial it back a little. He stopped laughing and reached across the table to rest his hand on Ozma's shoulder.

“C'mon, Oz, don't be like that. I'm just teasing you. Your reactions just make it too funny not to,” he admitted, a little sheepish. He hadn't thought Ozma would freak out that much... Ozma looked up, watching the other man's face for a moment, then straightened fully and took a deep breath. Running his hands down his face, his eyes closed, he didn't notice when Qrow soundlessly crept from his seat and disappeared into the crowd.

Hitting the bar, Qrow ordered a couple of drinks, keeping his eye on the table while he waited. He didn't want to risk Ozma getting overwhelmed and trying to walk away. Once he'd collected the glasses, Qrow returned to the table, sitting down carefully and twitching a small smile.

“Sorry 'bout that; I was getting thirsty,” Qrow explained, mostly truthfully, and took a sizable sip from his glass while sliding the other one over the table to Ozma. Ozma, upon taking a – much smaller – sip of his drink, was launched into a fit of coughing, and Qrow couldn't help but laugh, though he did try to smother it. Ozma ignored him, this being the only time Qrow would be thankful for that, and kept taking those little tiny sips of his. They were pathetic, but Qrow supposed he could understand the reasons; after all, Ozma had driven here, unlike Qrow.

“Oh, posture, too,” Qrow said suddenly, having recently returned from buying another drink. Third or fourth? It probably wasn't a good sign that he'd already lost count... Wait......

“Pardon me?” Ozma wondered, frowning. Qrow sighed and ran a hand through his hair, swiping his bangs out of his eyes for a moment before they fell back. Stupid floppy things, always getting in his way.

“Wait... I already touched on that, didn't I? Oh well, let's do it again,” Qrow mumbled to himself, staring over Ozma's head as he tried to remember. Oh well, not important. “You hold yourself up in a very... eh, headmasterly way? I dunno... It's very... authority figure. Ya need to loosen up like I said. Maybe slouch a little...” he muttered, trailing off as he deepened his own slouch as a... whatchamacallit. Example? Yeah, that was the thing!

Looking up, Qrow stared off into space, wondering what it would be like to take Ozma home. Addy had set it up, so maybe she wouldn't be mad this time? Qrow wasn't sure how to put it into words, but he... liked Ozma? Yeah, definitely liked him. So handsome... He'd probably be nice to kiss; most people were, but like... really nice....

Sitting up abruptly, Qrow had to blink a few times, trying to get his eyes to focus on Ozma. He was in the middle of something, right?

“Are you alright?” Ozma wondered, starting to be concerned. Qrow split into a grin and nodded, though the action was poorly considered, given the headache he'd developed.

“Yeah, sure. Don't worry 'bout me, Oz,” he replied, waving a hand at him to dissuade his concerns. Or, one of him? Why was there more than one of him? Not that Qrow minded... The Ozmas raised a skeptical eyebrow each and shook their heads, sighing. Only one sigh. Thank gods... But that meant... was he too drunk again?? Crap. Addy was gonna kill him when he got home.

“You are certainly an odd-” Qrow found the energy to roll his eyes, and Ozma cut off, giving him a flat stare before trying again. “You're... weird,” he said instead, taking another sip of his drink. Qrow let out a strangled laugh that sounded more like a goose, nearly choking on his own drink, then raised his hand to his chest in mock surprise when he had recovered from dying.

“Me, weird? Whatever could you mean?” he intoned dramatically, making his voice as... snooty as he possibly could. Like Ozma's, but not nearly as nice. Yeah, Oz had a nice voice... Qrow caught Ozma rolling his eyes at the impression, but he did at least seem to take a moment to consider what Qrow had said about his posture. He slumped his shoulders a little and even slid down slightly in his chair, though he looked supremely unhappy about it. Poor thing... He'd get used to it eventually. Probably.

 

The next few hours blurred together, and Qrow was pretty sure – in one rare moment of clarity – that there would be gaps in his memory when he looked back on this. Yup, definitely overdid it, and definitely getting murdered by his adorable baby... Well, as long as Oz was fine, that was the important thing.

Wait... Did something... happen? Qrow had this feeling, like he was in the middle of something he hadn't been in for a long time... For all that was holy, though, he couldn't bring the word to mind. Or really even the idea, for that matter. His head hurt too much... Stupid headache. Stupid drinking... He'd have to be more careful next time. It occurred to him, in that fuzzy moment, that he actually liked being able to think straight – ha! - and that it was important to life... or something, anyway. He stifled a giggle, failed, and just started laughing for a while.

Oh, gods... the everything's spinning..... Please stop...

 

Qrow woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming through his window, the smell of coffee and food – blessed saint of a child! – and birds? Birds don't have a smell... stupid. Blegh... he hated morning. And he felt sooo hungover. Worse than normal... Maybe that's why his brain was mush.... With a sigh, he sat up and flipped the covers away, stumbling to the bathroom to wash up before breakfast. And put on clothes, too... That sounded like a good idea.

Stumbling down the stairs and into the kitchen, Qrow flopped into a chair – nearly toppling and dying before Addy rescued him – and smiled sleepily at her as she presented him with a bottle of water, a few pills, and a coffee-mug filled with – big surprise – steaming coffee.

“You're a saint,” he mumbled, sleep slurring his words together, and swallowed the pills. After that, he drained the water bottle, before moving on to the coffee.

Three cups of coffee later, breakfast was ready and waiting in front of him, and Qrow was finally conscious enough to actually eat it. “Thanks, babe,” he said, and dug in.

“You're welcome, Daddy,” Addy said, and began eating as well.

Maybe mornings weren't so bad after all, if he got to spend them with people he cared about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S.  
> I had WAY more fun writing drunk!Qrow than I probably should have, and I used entirely too many periods, but whatever... I hope it made you laugh at least! :)  
> <3


	8. Monday Morning Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ozma has breakfast with Oscar, who comes to a few hopeful conclusions. When Oscar gets to school, he shares his observations with Addy, who shares his excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh. My. GOSH. I am SOOOO sorry!!! I feel like such a liar... I said it would just be a few days, and now it's been over a week. *cries* I just lost inspiration for a while, not to mention school. I'll try to do better, though, PROMISE! :) 
> 
> I hope you enjoy, even though it's so short and kinda weird... Thank you for your patience!

“Morning, Dad,” Oscar said, stepping into the kitchen to see what was going on. He usually woke up much earlier than Ozma, even with all the grading and such the man insisted on doing with every spare bit of his time, – well, it wasn't so bad anymore, Oscar supposed – so it was weird for him to already be up and preparing breakfast. Particularly given the fact that Ozma wasn't a morning person, meaning that he would've had to have been up for more than half an hour already...

“Good morning, Oscar,” Ozma replied, his voice bright and chipper. Oscar blinked in surprise at that but sat down at the table to enjoy his morning Mug of hot chocolate, which Ozma had promptly set down in front of him.

“Oh, thank you,” Oscar said, taking a sip of it. He melted slightly, smiling happily; so warm and perfect.

“You're quite welcome,” Ozma responded, back to busying about the kitchen once more. Oscar let him work in silence for a while, a little distracted by his drink, but once he had finished, he got down to asking questions.

“You're in a really good mood this morning,” Oscar commented casually, amazed at the fact that he was actually getting better at it. Ozma paused in the action of grabbing plates from a cupboard to think about it.

“I suppose I am,” he said thoughtfully, then shrugged and went back to what he was doing. “I rather like it, actually,” he shared, a bright smile adorning his face. Oscar smiled as well, glad that his dad was so happy. Happy was what they were aiming for, after all.

During breakfast, Oscar noted several times that Ozma would occasionally keep smiling to himself for no apparent reason. It wasn't a bad thing, not by any means, but it was... odd. He couldn't help but wonder what his dad was thinking about.

And then it struck him; these were same kinds of little smiles that Ozma would give to Salem, Oscar's mother. Whenever they were eating a meal together, he would always keep giving her little smiles here and there, whenever he thought she needed them. Or wanted them, maybe. And he always used to smile when he thought of her, too. Was this something related? Oscar nearly held his breath in anticipation of the answer to an unasked question, which would have been a poor choice indeed.

 

The next couple of days passed in relative peace, other than a few mishaps that neither of the pair was directly to blame for. Now it was time for school again, and Oscar could hardly wait. He'd been texting back and forth with Addy nearly constantly – taking breaks to spend time with his dad, of course – but that just wasn't the same as actually getting to see her and hug her.

Once he'd been dropped off at school, Oscar was looking around wondering if Addy was still in the courtyard, when suddenly a solid mass slammed into him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

“Oscar! I'm so excited. My dad said he wants to go again! He was just muttering to himself this morning about random stuff – you know how he is on Mondays... - and I heard it slip out! Okay, now how's it going with your dad?” the black-haired girl asked excitedly, pulling away from Oscar enough that he could see her, while she kept her hands planted on his shoulders. It might have looked weird to anyone else, but it had already been firmly decided by practically the whole school that they were just friends. Too awkward to be anything else, even if Addy did get a little grabby sometimes...

“Well, uh, I think...” Oscar trailed off for a moment, thinking. “I think he's pretty smitten. And I might be wrong, but I think it's with your dad,” he replied, going pink at the thought. That wasn't what the original plan had been, but judging by the look on Addy's face, they could work with it.

“That's great! But we've gotta tell Ruby and Yang so they can help us. I'll set up a meeting with them... Saturday morning work for you?” the hurricane of a girl asked. Oscar smiled and nodded, then grabbed his school bag from where it had fallen.

“Yeah, that sounds good to me,” he agreed, then started heading into the building. If they didn't get a move on, they'd be late for classes, and that wasn't allowed. They were both teachers' kids, so they had a reputation to protect.

“Great!” Addy chimed, following after him.


	9. Plans Are Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oscar, Addy, Ruby, and Yang finally all meet up and start making plans on how to get their old men together, plus shenanigans and a hint of RoseGarden. 
> 
> Ozma has another meeting with Qrow's hurricane of a daughter and realizes how amazingly similar the pair are to each other.
> 
> Random backstory included that I came up with off the top of my head. I hope it makes sense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... don't even have words. I've been gone for so long. I offer up my most sincere apologies to anyone who might have spent months waiting for me to update this, and if that isn't enough... I'm sorry. *cries in the corner*
> 
> Well, that's enough drama! I hope you enjoy the new chapter. It's even EXTRA long to make up for the author not deserving to be a writer.
> 
> I swear that I will try and stay on this, but I can't make any promises due to school taking up most of my time these days.  
> I am really happy that I finally got back into this though, because - and I hope this isn't a weird thing to say - I am really, incredibly happy with how I wrote all this nonsense. It made me laugh so much while I was reading back through it. (mostly Drunk!Qrow, because *dang* I nailed that character) I am super proud of this work, and it deserves to be properly finished at some point.

It took way longer than either Oscar or Addy had preferred, but the week crept by and Saturday finally arrived. Oscar had gotten permission from his father the night before to go out with Addy after breakfast, so he didn’t have to worry about that at least. After washing up his dishes, he hugged his dad and said goodbye, then grabbed his wallet and phone and darted out the door, walking briskly down the street to the meeting place. He could hardly wait!

“Oscar!” a voice shouted, and Oscar had a fraction of a second to brace before a solid mass came flying into him. He grinned brightly when he got a good look at the girl clinging to his shoulders.

“Hey, Ruby. It’s been a while since I last saw you,” he greeted in return, smiling self-consciously and wobbling precariously as she half-launched herself off of him, throwing herself at her sister instead. Yang barely moved, having had considerably more practice than Oscar; it also helped that she had several inches of height on him…

“Soooo, do we finally get to find out what we’re doing here??” Ruby demanded, gazing wide-eyed at Addy. “Not that I mind getting to hang out with you and Oscar for the day, not at all! But I’m tired of waiting! You can’t keep me in suspense like this,” the hyper girl continued, speaking rapidly. Oscar smiled fondly, ignoring the dirty look Yang shot his way. He’d gotten used to those by now, and they didn’t have any effect on him anymore. None at all. Nope, he wasn’t terrified of his crush’s really scary older sister, why would you ask that?

His train of thought – and Addy’s attempt to begin explaining the situation – was disrupted when Ruby suddenly let out a gasp. “Oscar! You grew!” she exclaimed, rocketing away from Yang’s shoulder to invade Oscar’s space. She glared up at him, silver eyes bright with cheer and teasing. Oscar leaned back slightly, starting to blush in a way that he was certain was very obvious.

“Uh, I guess so?” he agreed uncertainly, chuckling awkwardly. She was so close… Yang snorted in the background and walked over, hefting her sister effortlessly off the ground and setting her down a few feet from Oscar.

“C’mon, little sister. Give the poor guy some space, or you’re gonna kill him,” the blonde chided, grinning. Up close, Yang was even more intimidating, her height even more obvious with less distance between her and Oscar. It was the same way with Addy sometimes, tall as she was.

“I’m not gonna kill him!” Ruby protested, crossing her arms and pouting. Addy giggled behind them, suddenly reminding them all that she was there.

“So, do you guys want to know why you’re here or not?” she pressed, smiling amusedly at the trio. They approached her and plopped into the grass in front of her.  
“We’re listening now,” Ruby replied, her gaze trained sharply on Addy, who smirked.

“Okay, so you know how my dad’s a wreck and I’ve been trying to get him to settle down for a long time now?” the ravenette began, waiting for her audience to nod their understanding before continuing. “Well…” she glanced at Oscar and mirth danced in her red eyes, “we finally found someone that he ended up completely smitten with. And now we need your help setting them up. You know Oscar’s dad, Headmaster Ozpin?” Yang and Ruby’s mouths fell open, the shock evident in their expressions.

“No way,” Ruby breathed, then started cackling. “I KNEW IT!!!!!” she shouted gleefully, tossing her head back and laughing as loudly as possible. Oscar winced and leaned away, holding his arm up so he wouldn’t get wacked in the face by her arms as she waved them around.

“You know, I always had a feeling that he’d be just Uncle Qrow’s type,” Yang remarked, having reclaimed use of her mouth finally.

“So, what do you need us to do?” the sisters asked in unison, leaning forward in interest. Addy and Oscar exchanged a grin, then got to work setting up a plan.

 

“Alright! Operation: Get Uncle Qrow a Boyfriend is a-go!” Ruby shouted, leaping up into the air with her fist raised high. “And we’ll convince Weiss and Blake to help on our end, too. The rest is up to you two!”

“Bye, Ruby! Bye, Yang! See you later!” Oscar and Addy saluted, and the two pairs went their separate ways. It had been a long several hours of talking, but they finally had a solid plan hammered out. It would start with simply convincing their parents to spend more time together, and if that didn’t work, then they would move to the next phase – notes!

If the poor old fools couldn’t figure things out on their own, then the plan was for Oscar and Ruby – and Ruby and Yang – to start leaving notes in the teachers’ offices, mysterious encouragement from the Universe to push them together. That should do the trick, when two things were taken into consideration.

One: Ozma wanted to see more of Qrow and probably wouldn’t take much convincing. Two: Qrow was superstitious to a ridiculous degree and would believe quite easily that the universe could actually talk to him. Well, three technically, since they also knew for a fact that Qrow knew more or less what he wanted. He was reasonable like that sometimes, and Addy loved him for it.

“So, do you really think this will work? I mean… our parents are dumb. What if they figure out that we’re meddling? Will they get mad?” Oscar wondered quietly, fiddling with the hem of his shirt as they walked. Addy stopped and put a hand on his arm, smiling.

“Oscar, they aren’t gonna be mad. Embarrassed, maybe, but hardly mad. They have no reason to be upset about this,” she told him, as reassuring as she knew how to be. He looked up at her uncertainly, then smiled.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Sorry, I’m just really nervous about all this,” he replied, then froze. “If this works out – really works out, I mean – you and I will be step siblings!” he blurted out, eyes widening in shock. Addy thought about it, then split into a wide grin.

“You’re right! And I’ll be completely justified in calling you my brother. That’s awesome!” she cheered, and the pair burst into laughter.

“I hope it works out. I think my dad always wanted a daughter, but after I was born, Mom decided it was too much trouble and that she didn’t want any more kids. I overheard them arguing about it a few times, when I was little, and Dad seemed really upset about it,” Oscar reflected, his gaze falling to the ground as he thought.  
Addy reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

“Well, you won’t have to worry about it anymore if things work out with our parents. My dad’s always joking about finding some kid to adopt and add to our family, and I’ve been thinking for a while that maybe he isn’t joking. He’s always loved kids, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up with some more siblings,” she told him, and Oscar couldn’t help but laugh. What would that even be like?

“That would be nice,” he murmured, and finally looked up. “Oh! It’s getting late! I should get going home before my dad gets worried,” he startled, looking at Addy with minor panic. She grinned and released his hand.

“Don’t worry about it, Oscar. Here, I’ll walk you, so you don’t get into too much of a rush and get hit by traffic,” she said, laughing, and the pair took off running. Addy kept a close eye on their surroundings and pulled Oscar back if he ever forgot to pay attention. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had to save his life.

When they finally arrived on Oscar’s doorstep, both were out of breath and grinning way too much. The door opened, Ozma peeking through curiously; he’d heard their footsteps running up the porch steps.

“Oh, Oscar! You’re home,” he noted with surprise, then frowned. “What’s wrong? Did someone chase you here?” he demanded, looking up and down the street. 

“No, Dad! No one chased us. We just felt like running so I wouldn’t be out too late,” Oscar explained quickly, green eyes lighting up with panic. Addy smiled to herself and shook her head. They were exactly the same kind of high-strung, poor dears.

“Good evening, Professor!” she chimed, beaming at the man. “I got him home on time and safe and sound; he didn’t even trip into traffic once.” Ozma found himself laughing at the young lady’s words, glad that what she said was true. She truly was her father’s child though, with a sense of humor like that. Goodness…

“That reminds me! If you don’t mind me asking, Ms. Branwen, er… how is your father?” Ozma asked, before his mind could catch up with his mouth. Addy took a deep breath, recovering from her laughing fit, and exchanged a significant glance with Oscar.

“He’s perfectly alright, sir. A bit tired from all the grading and such, but that’s to be expected. He talks about you a lot,” she replied, smiling politely as she watched the man’s cheeks tint pink instantly.

“Oh, uh. Is that so?” Ozma wondered politely, fighting to regain brain power in the presence of a guest. He was saved from having to say anything else when Addy’s phone rang.

“Oh, give me a moment please,” she said and retreated down the stairs a bit to answer the call. 

“Sup, old man?” she greeted, grinning sassily. Whatever she heard in reply seemed to please her, since she held the phone away from her mouth and nearly doubled over laughed, looking up finally to flash Oscar a grin. 

“Yeah, Dad, I can certainly ask that. Or, ya know, you could ask him yourself,” she said into the phone, returning it to its place at her ear. “Yes, it’s really that easy. I’m in front of his house, you dork.” She chided him, shaking her head fondly. 

“Oh my gods, yes! You’re amazing, and I know you know it. Bye! Love you, and I’ll be home in a bit,” she continued, then hung up and pocketed her phone.

“Would you mind terribly exchanging numbers with my dad, Professor? He says he thinks it would be easier to set something up if you two can communicate directly, rather than relying on me and Oscar,” she asked, turning back to the Pines and tilting her head. Standing slightly behind his father, Oscar silently shouted ‘YES’ and grinned at Addy, who winked in return. Ozma misunderstood and thought it was directed at him, blushing again, but nodded.

“Certainly, Ms. Branwen. That seems quite reasonable. Please, allow me to fetch something to write with,” he replied, disappearing inside the house.

“This is great!!!” Oscar exclaimed, leaping down the stairs and hugging Addy tightly, letting out a quiet scream of excitement into her shoulder. Addy made a happy noise of agreement and stepped back, holding out her hands for high-fives, which Oscar obliged.

“At this rate, we might not even need our plan,” she replied, doing a small happy dance. Ozma returned suddenly, gazing at them quizzically.

“What’s going on?” he wondered, startling poor Oscar half to death. The silver-haired man winced apologetically, and Oscar grinned back.

“Nothing important, Dad. Addy just had some good news for me,” Oscar responded, smiling reassuringly. Ozma raised an eyebrow skeptically but shrugged and handed Addy a slip of paper.

“Here you are, Ms. Branwen,” he told her, and accepted a paper in return with Qrow’s number on it; it may or may not have been a recycled receipt from the dollar store, but he wasn’t about to comment on it. There wasn’t likely to be any important information on it anyway.

“Thank you much, sir! And now, if you’ll pardon me, I should really be getting home. Dad convinced my aunt and uncle pop over, and Aunt Summer made us food!” Addy chimed, and Ozma smiled warmly.

“Of course, Ms. Branwen. Thank you for bringing Oscar home safely and for stopping to chat for a while,” he told her, and she grinned in response. Once Oscar had said his goodbyes and hugged her tightly, she was off, waving over her shoulder as she fished a flashlight out of her pocket.

“She’s awesome,” Oscar murmured, then looped an arm through his father’s and tugged him inside. “C’mon, Dad. Let’s have dinner too,” he suggested, which Ozma agreed wholeheartedly with. Throughout the rest of the evening, his thoughts drifted periodically to the small piece of paper in his pocket and brought a smile to his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. Because it's been so long since I worked on this, my writing style has probably changed somewhat. I know for certain that with all the characters in the same place, I was having a super hard time keeping it from Oscar's POV like it started out as. Hopefully no one minds that too much...
> 
> Please let me know if you notice any distinct changes and if there's anything you think I should try to fix. Thank you for reading!! <3
> 
> (I want to put this in here somewhere, but I wasn't sure where so here it is. I wrote most of this in one sitting, at a very quick pace. Please forgive any mistakes, and if you see some, please write a comment with the paragraph the mistake is in so that I can fix it. Thank you!!!)

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated, and please feel free to ask questions if there's something that confused you. Thank you. :)


End file.
